Backstory may have the most beautiful coffee shop interior I've ever been in. The second I walked in, I actually laughed because it felt way too gorgeous to be "just" a coffee shop. The soaring industrial ceilings, massive windows pouring in natural light, dark wood shelving, plants everywhere, books, artwork, vintage decor, and incredible lighting somehow make the whole place feel both grand and peaceful. It's the kind of space where you immediately want to cancel your plans and spend the entire afternoon reading, working, or simply existing. Every direction you look feels thoughtfully designed. One thing I couldn't find online beforehand was whether there would be places to plug in my laptop. Thankfully, there are plenty of outlets, making it a fantastic place to work. Even better, despite its size, the atmosphere stays calm and quiet. It never felt loud or chaotic. The drinks were excellent. I tried the Lime Creamsicle Iced Matcha and later ordered a hot matcha, complete with a beautiful heart poured into the milk. I especially appreciated that they use what tasted like genuine, high-quality matcha rather than the overly sweet, filler-heavy mixes that so many coffee shops rely on. You can absolutely taste the difference. I also picked up two pastries: an artichoke and cheese croissant (I think it was Gouda?) and the coffee cake. Both were delicious, but that coffee cake deserves its own paragraph. It was huge, incredibly moist and rich, and served in a large paper liner almost like an oversized cupcake. I'd happily go back just for that. If I had one wish, it would simply be for the menu to match the creativity of the space. The coffee, tea, and espresso selections felt a bit limited considering how unique everything else is. This seems like the perfect place to experiment with fun specialty drinks and elevated touches. Imagine pink peppercorn on a cortado, mint dust on a cappuccino, unique flavored cold foams, rotating seasonal teas, or other creative finishes. The environment practically begs for a menu that's just as imaginative. The staff interaction was fine but didn't really stand out. When I asked whether they recommended the Lime Creamsicle Matcha, the response was basically, "I mean... it tastes like a lime creamsicle." It wasn't unfriendly, just not especially engaging. The prices are definitely on the higher end, but between the stunning atmosphere, quality ingredients, and excellent pastries, I'd happily return. Backstory isn't just somewhere to grab coffee. It's somewhere you want to linger. If you're looking for one of the most beautiful, calming coffee shops in Minneapolis, this belongs at the top of your list. read more

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Cute spot for coffee and hanging out! The line went fairly quickly, and the barista was patient and thorough when taking my order! The Americano I ordered was ready quickly and very hot! I would come back with friends and/or to hang out to get work done! FYI: There's free parking on the road behind Backstory, parallel to Washington. read more

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The ambiance is amazing. Beautiful interior and could easily spend hours here reading or doing work. I had their seasonal cold brew and thought that it was very smooth, great coffee taste, no bitterness. I really enjoyed this shop highly recommend read more

This location is so serene and the perfect place to meet a friend, read a book, or get some work done. I am obsessed with their Brown Butter Blueberry Muffin it has a crisp on the top, giving it a crunch while still being moist in the middle. I love trying seasonal lattes and wish that the Blueberry Vanilla Iced Latte was a permanent fixture on the menu! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Blueberry Muffin & Blueberry Vanilla Iced Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I absolutely love this place. It's got an art deco/1920's theme, super high ceilings, wide open, variety of seating types, clean restrooms and even a food shelf. A lot of artistic drink options which I love. I got the lemon bar latte but was disappointed that I didn't really taste the lemon in it. The sweet potato pastry was super yummy though and I'm guessing the other drinks must be good because the place was packed. My only complaint is the outlets on the couch did not work. It's really important to have working outlets for those who come with a laptop. The only other issue is parking. I got lucky and found a spot on the street nearby and it was a Sunday so it was free but others were driving around looking for parking. If I'm in the area and there's a parking spot I'll definitely give them a try again. read more

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Tasty coffee, gorgeous inside, great location. I even got coffee beans from here as a gift and they made some delicious coffee as well. read more

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The cold brew is so good here I wanna say it's the best cold brew I've ever had very strong very dark taste very bold. The line is super long here, but it moves very quickly. read more

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Super cool ambiance inside and great coffee. It's a very rustic vibe with exposed brick, tall book shelves, exposed pipes and greenery around which gives it a very cozy feel. We just stopped by for a quick coffee break and it was busy since it was a Sunday morning so didn't stay too long. Great coffee as well, they had a new syrup that was a mix between caramel and cinnamon so I had that in my latte and it was really tasty. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Latte with Oat Milk & caramel cinnamon syrup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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A very cool and nice coffee shop. The decor is amazing. The cold brew was good, the breakfast wrap very yummy. I would come back. My only turn off was the ICE out posters. I think an All are welcome is a better poster. The ICE guys have families and are here to protect people. ICE in a business should be bias or not post it. It can turn some off. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

They have good pastry's and coffee! It was a busy spot and not a ton of outlets so if you plan to stay long make sure you've got a good spot. I loved the sunlight pouring in from the roof and the plants everywhere. It was a chill sport that's great for studying!! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Study - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Amazing coffee!!! Got an iced caramel macchiato, flat white, & honey cold brew! Best coffee I've had in a while. Very friendly! The vibe of the place was top notch. Happy I stopped while visiting! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Inside of coffee shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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What a beautiful and cozy spot to work, study or read a book! There's plenty of comfy couches and tables. Very spacious and beautiful. Dog friendly too! Highly recommend for a great cup of coffee and everyone is very friendly here as well! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

OMG so prettty! If my home internet ever stopped working on a non-office day, I would want to work from here ALL. DAY. LONG. 5 stars because Coffee and pastries are as good as Starbucks for lower cost and in a much better environment. I recommend the ham and cheese croissants! Service was great, but I only saw 2 employees and my service would have been much slower if there were more customers in line. read more

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Delicious coffee, amazing space! Entry door is confusing to find and parking is rough, but the space and coffee is great. Prepare yourself for non homogenized chunky milk/creamer. Doesn't taste any different, could have done with or without but the chunky pour was a shock read more

I love going to Backstory Coffee! The baristas are always so welcoming and sweet. They really know how to put a smile on my face. Also, the drinks here are super yummy! I tried out one of their pride-themed drinks (butterfly broadus) and it was delicious. I usually get a flavored latte, matcha, or chai when I come. Each time I've never been disappointed. There are many options to choose from and pastries to try. This location is in the Duffey in North Loop, so parking can be a bit tricky since it's mainly street parking. Another note is that Backstory feels very open with couches and seats, so you feel cozy and at home when you enter. It can get loud sometimes, but I don't mind that. It's nice to have background nice and feel how lively the coffee shop is. Highly recommend going here if you're looking for a cute coffee date with some buddies and want to walk around North Loop! read more

This has to be my favorite coffee shop I've ever been to or at least in my top 3. It's so hard to find a coffee shop with perfect noise level, cozy comfy spacious seating, good coffee, and nice decor/ambiance.. this had them all! Service was great. Coffee and bakery options were also great. I got the miel chocolat which was fantastic but tried the maple cherry cold brew and the strawberry latte from my friends. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Ok this is one of the grandest and most visually engaging coffee shops I've ever been in. Truly, it's a work of art. High ceilings, a mesh of earth and industrial with both independent work and group spaces. My friend's latte was a typical price of a latte in MN. The 'fall' menu prices were ridiculous. $8.54 before tipping...that beats NYC coffee prices and there is just no reason. I had the carrot cake cold brew and it was delicious, truly. But after paying $6 for parking and $9 for my drink, things had escalated quickly. I still have to give this place 5 stars because service, taste and aesthetic were top notch. read more

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I got a very delicious Iced Angel Mint Matcha, it's one of the seasonal flavors here right now. The space is absolutely beautiful and vibey, you could sit here for hours. The baristas were really nice and helped me make my choice as well as give recommendations. It's located in what seems like a lobby of the building. There are couches, chairs, desks, and tables. You can find a spot you find the most comfortable no problem. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Great use of repurposed space. It's in the lobby of The Duffey apartments with very high ceilings, still adorned with heavy equipment used, presumably, to move Duffey Paper back in the day. The vibe is comfortable with couches and seating aplenty and the baristas are capable and efficient. I ordered Cortado and it was prepared perfectly. Great ambience. Great location. Great coffee. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters is such a beautiful space! The high ceilings and green plant wall create a relaxing, airy atmosphere. The latte was perfectly made with lovely art. It's a great place to sit and work or meet a friend. Definitely one of the best roasteries in town! read more

Another winner coffee shop in my MSP book. It is located in a stunning industrial space that used to be a manufacturing site with super tall ceilings and gorgeous chandelier. There is good amount of natural lighting. Backstory is busy on a Saturday morning, line wait is about 10 mins. I enjoy my latte and pain au chocolat - it was delicious. Overall lovely place, good for work/study and reading. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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The most gorgeous coffee shop and it's huge! There's so many areas to sit and hang with friends, work, or just enjoy some really good coffee. I wish I'd found this place sooner! There's fun decorations all over to just explore while you sip on the coffee. The oat milk latte with maple was so delicious. I got the 16oz and am happy I did! They also had a lot of yummy bakery items that we didn't try this time. They even offer some gluten free items from sift bakery! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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This coffee shop is so pretty! Lots of greenery and places to sit. I got the seasonal lemon bar latte and it was delicious!

This is the most beautiful coffee shop in Northloop. There's plenty of seating to work remote but be prepared to wait for seating if you come during peak hours as it gets super busy. The croissants are good here but I don't think they have an oven to warm it up. They have free wifi if you want to work remotely here. It can get tricky to find seating if you come with a few friends but pretty easy if it's just one other friend. The matcha latte is ok and the vanilla latte is pretty good here. read more

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Amazing ambiance for those looking for a place to get some work done. It's pretty busy in the afternoon but it's a nice vibe to be surrounded by motivated individuals. The coffee itself isn't anything great. Would go back just for the atmosphere. read more

I stopped by here for coffee and got the cookie butter latte. The coffee was amazing. I really enjoyed the aesthetic. It's definitely probably not the best place to get work done as they don't have very many seating options with outlets nearby and it's not the quietest space. At least this is the case on the weekends. They have had a long line both times I've gone. They do not offer any free parking. All parking options are paid parking.. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Iced Caramel Latte & Mini Pie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This was like stepping into a hidden library at hogwarts.... So cool. Very dark academia. The coffee is great - we waited in line a while to get it. But, it is popular for a reason, the drinks are simple and delicious. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Come for the atmosphere, stay for the totally decent coffee! This cavernous installation in the lobby of a North Loop residential complex is long on vibes, enough that even though I have a cozy office just around the corner from here, I sometimes like to haul my laptop down here and try blending in with the millenials and the zoomers and their high-energy remote-work antics. It does fill up as the morning progresses, but if you can carve out a corner somewhere, you may even find the end of an extention cord hiding handily between the couch cushions. Every coffee drink I've had has been perfectly lovely. I'm increasingly a latte guy, and they seem to have a different special available each time I come in. They prepare them quickly and serve them up with a smile and some friendly conversation. The coffee really is good enough to bring you in, but with the walls covered with decor that is both historical and arty, it's just a nifty place that you will very likely feel like hanging out for a while. read more

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Such a cute coffee shop! I really love the trend of these larger more open coffee shops with plants and tons of seating. Got a pourover and a brown butter blueberry muffin Both delicious! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I loved everything about this place! Atmosphere is great, staff is wonderful, and the coffee was delicious. I got their cold brew maple drink but as an iced latte, and it was so good! Parking is street parking but I managed to find a spot right out front. Not sure how hard it would be on a weekend to actually find parking. Will definitely be back! read more

Great service and a nice play to get some work done. The latte was delicious but before tip it was $10!!!!! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Came here to work for the day & it was wonderful! Great, big open space with plenty of seats. The cold brew was also fantastic :) read more

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Cute place, cool vibes! This place can get really busy though. Be prepared to wait in line for a bit. The coffee was okay, a little acidic for me. Pastries are good. Would come back again for the atmosphere alone. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Coffee and pastries - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Beautiful location with lots of space for remote work, studying, etc. my drink was well made and the staff was pleasant, would love to see them add more items to their menu though! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - A matcha latte and a peaceful environment - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I was the first to review this spot and figured it's time for an update. When the old Duffey Paper Company complex was finally redeveloped into the The Duffey Lofts, it was required to keep the massive open space on the south end of the building with historic mechanical workings suspended from the ceiling (3 floors up) as well as other intriguing industrial features that give it a more authentic feel of being in the Warehouse District (now called North Loop). BKV Group did a good job of adding modern, chic design on the ground floor -- with a space for an eventual coffee house. After months of negotiations (including a company that didn't end up materializing), they got local Backstory Coffee to take the space for their second location -- it's a win-win, mostly. The space is big, with lots of seating, but doesn't feel cold. The staff was friendly, the vibes were good, worth checking out! As people have heard of it, the lines are usually quite long, places to sit are hard to find despite the size, as many young professionals on their first job are working there or students studying. The coffee and pastries were above average to embarrassingly bad. On point: I had a special, a "Piña Colada Cold Brew" (cold brew shaken w/pineapple & lime juices and rummy coconut cream) that can only be described as putrid--the worst coffee drink I've tried at over a hundred coffee shops worldwide (just this past week I visited 6 new shops in Montreal). It was remarkably bad, especially to be immediately identifiable as the worst I've ever tasted. The most charitable thing I can say is the staff is casual and talks amongst themselves so maybe they were distracted and forgot something? I've never experienced any horror quite like this one. Honestly, I don't think anyone involved in Backstory bothered to "proofread" this before they published it. As my first review noted, the pasties are hit or miss and occasionally seriously over baked. This is a place for those who want Instagrammable vibes, not coffee. A shame because they built a hell of a space that deserves a hell of a coffee. It's average, not worth the line. Better places are nearby like Frgmnt, Spyhouse, or even the Fairgrounds chain. read more

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This place is beautiful! On top of that there are a vast amount of seating options of all varieties. Lounging spots and tables for getting serious work done. As far as the coffee goes it is clear they also take it seriously. I judge coffee shops usually solely on their basic black coffee and this spot didn't disappoint. My only problem with it is downtown and I don't live there so parking can be a bit more tricky than I'd like. read more

Environment is a 10/10 if you're coming here to Recoup, study or work I think you'll find it's perfect for all the above. I ordered a regular latte with whole milk and was told I couldn't have it in a for here glass because they were understaffed... Not sure about this because it didn't seem overwhelming packed in my opinion. Coffee: 7/10 - it's not memorable or anything I'd run back to but it's solid and it's what you need a coffee to be. Just nothing special. Seating is vast and the leather couches are quite comfortable read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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So I think I discovered the place where all the hip mid 20s to early 30 year olds hang out from the bougie condos in this area... Backstory coffee is such a vibe. You're going to pay for said vibe, but it's delicious. The baristas are on point with customer service, and being someone who hasn't visited downtown in a looong time she could have been snippy with my ability to choose promptly from the menu. Asking her what was popular, she delivered some delicious - however very sweet, seasonal items. No hate in it! - I just needed someone to share with. So if you're looking for your newest instagram corner, a non-alcoholic alternative to hang with your date / friends, or somewhere to get your post work pick me up before you head home - give them a try. It's not your corner gas station prices, so come and stay a minute and actually enjoy your snack from backstory. read more

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Backstory coffee has one of the best coffee shops interior that I've been to. The ambiance inside is so intimate and warming. There are plants and decor all over, and so much seating to just hangout and drink coffee. I ordered an iced latte and it was delicious! read more

I've been to their St. Paul location many times and wanted to check out their Minneapolis one! It's so beautiful inside and the perfect spot to get work done. They had mn state fair drink specials so I tried the blueberry vanilla latte which came with a sweet corn whipped cream. It was so delicious and sweet! I could seriously stay here for hours it was the perfect ambiance to go with my coffee. read more

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